Automatic prison-signal.



l AUTOMATIC PRISON SIGNAL.. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 1o, 1909.

934,626. Y Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

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J nvRoN RHoAns AND HENRY c. rnsnna'nerr, or CANTON, onto.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 10, 1909. Serial No. 495,125.

To all whom it may Concern.'

Be it known that we, Ql EvRoN Ri-ioADs and HENRY C. Fasi-minori, citizens of the United States, residing at Canton. in the county of Stark and State ott Ohio, have invented a new and useful Automatic Prison- Signal. of which the following is a speciiication.

Our invention relates to improvements in devices for detecting 'the attempts of prisoners to break out of prison: and the ohjects or. the improvement are to provide a device adapted to the purpose mentioned which will he simple in construction, ceitaiii in operation` coniparatively cheap in lirst cost and inexpensive to maintain in repair. These objects, together with other objects readily apparent to those skilled in the art we attain by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a view, partly in section, illustrating a complete device embodying our invention and connected to a prison window grating, also showing the broken connections for the portion ot the device illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 illustrates a prison door and the necessary pipe and wires intended to he connected with the system illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 ci the Fig. 2. el is a :tragnientary view, partly in vertical section, illustrating the pneumatic joint for connecting the door in Fig. 2 with the air system. Fig.

5 a fragmentary view in elevation illustrating the exterior construction ot one of the signal valves with its electrical connections. Fig. 6 is a view ot' one ot the signal valves, showingparts broken away and parts in vertical section.

ri`lirougliout the several views similar numerals ot reference indicate similar parts.

The numeral 1 indicates the wall ot the prison provided with a window opening in which is secured a grating 2 composed of hollow tubes or pipes, each of the pipes in the grating being in pneumatic connection with the local supply pipe The said local supply pipe extends to the T connection 4l troni which connection also leads the supply pipe Connected with the T connection t is also the general supply pipe t3 upon which is arranged a T connection 7, for the purpose hereinatter described, the supply pipe 6 eX- tendiug to the electrically operated air pump 3 to which it is appropriately connected.

:i source of suitable. electric current 9 is provided and the wires 10 and 11 connected to the source of current 9 and the pump 8 for supplying the necessary current to the said pump. The wire 11 is not continuous, however, hut is provided with the spaced contacts 12 and 13 for the purpose hereinafter disclosed.

In pneumatic connection with the pipe 6 through the T connection 7 is the governor cylinder 14 provided with a piston 15 adapted :tor ready vertical reciprocating movement within said cylinder. To the piston 15 is connected the piston rod 1G, at the upper end of which is a vertical slot 17 into the top end of which extends a vertically disposed set screw 18 arranged in a screw threaded aperture in the crown of said slot. Fixedly connected to the cylinder 14 is the support 19 provided with the laterally extending guide arm 20 provided with an aperture in which the rod 16 is adapted to slidably move. At the upper end of the support 19 at the point 21 is pivotally connected the switch lever 22, one end ot which extends through the slot 17 in the piston rod and the other end ot which is provided with the contacts 23 and 24 adapted to engage the contacts 12 and 13 when the lever 22 is appropriately rocked upon the point 21 by the action of the piston. It will. be understood that the contacts 23 and 24C are in electrical connection with each other so as to complete the circuit through the wires 10 and 11 when the contacts 23 and 2a are in engagement with the contacts 12 and 13. lt will now he understood that if the contacts 23 and are held in engagement with the contacts 12 and 13 the pump 8 will loe operated to pump air into the pipe 6. Let it he assumed that there is no escape of air troni the pipe 6 or the pipes 3 and 5. The air iny the pipe G will he compressed, whereupon the piston 15 will he forced upwardly, rocking the lever 22 upon its pivotal point, drawing the contacts out of engagement, opening the circuit and thus discontinuing the operation ofthe pump 8. The weights 25 may be arranged upon the piston rod 16 and resting upon the piston 15 for the purpose of regulating the amount of air pressure necessary to operate said piston. The slot 17 is of greater vertical dimension than the vertical dimension of the lever 22, and the -`set screw 18 may be adjusted to allow various amounts of play of said lever within the said slot, the purpose ot' such adjustment being to permit a slight Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

movement of the piston l5 without operating the lever thus permitting a slight variation in the air pressure withtnit opening or closing the circuit as the easemay be. By means of the governor cylinder and related parts, it will be seen that the air pressure Within the pipes t3 and tue pneumatieally connected portions of the system may be maintained with practical uniformity.

Upon the pipe 3 intermediate the eonnection -t and the grating ot the window is arrangedlhe signal valve Q-v. This valve consists ot a valve cylinder 27 interposed between portions ot the pipe 3 and t'orniing a part ot the pneiunatic passage way through said pipe.. ln the valve cylinder 2l' is arranged the rotatable 'valve 23, the axis ot which lies in a horizontal plane transverse to the pipe 3 and which is provided with a reduced opening adapted to norm; lly lie substantially in the longitudinal aYs ot the pipe 2). )at the. end ot said opening toward the grating l the said opening is expat-ged. as shown at 33t). Extending across the valve cylinder at the points 3l and 32 are transverse walls provided with reduced alliertures ot the same cross sectional area as the opening 29 and lying substantially in the axis oit the pipe 2%. '.lhrough trie wall ot the valve cylinder at 33 extends an opening leading trom the exterior to the vatve and lying inst bef'ond the edge of the enlarged portion ot the opening '122) when the valve is in the normal position illustrated in Fig. t3.

ln pneumatic connection with the pipe 3 on both sides ot the signal valve are the pipes Blf and 35 leading to the valve-controlling cylinders 343 and 8'? respectively. The said cylinders are provided with the pistoni.I 38 and 239 adapted tor ready reciprocating movement in a vertical direction within said cylinders and connected to the piston rods Ll0 and nll. The pipes and Z55 it should be noted are ot the same capacity and are connected with passage ways l leading through the bottoms ot the cylinders. lt should also be noted that the cylinders are of the same relativer size and are of similar construction. Upon an exterior extension, 4t2, ot the alve Q3 is tixedly mounted the valve lever 43, which extends a short distance to one side ot said extension, where it pivoted at dei to the piston rod 4f() and eX- tends for a greater distance to the other side ot said extension, where it is provided with a contact point 4in the piston rod f'l-l being pivotally connected to said lever at the point to. From the description just given. it will be understood that it either one ot' the pis tons 38 or 59 be moved5 a corresponding rotation oi the valve 2S will take place in con nection with the 1n vement oitl the lever l o and an opposite movement of the other piston.

Suitably arranged7 preferably upon a bracket 47, attached to the pipe 35, is a con tact point 4S adapted for engagement with the contact point The point LAS is insulated from the bracket and trom the pipe 255 and a Wire e9 leads to an annunciator 50 provided with the usual bell and indicating mechanism. From the annunciator :'10 the. Wire 5l leads, through the battery, or other source of current7 52, to the lever Ll?) with which it makes permanent electrical connection lt will be understood that itt the lever t3 is operated to l; 1'ing the points l5 and #t8 into contact` a circuit will be closed through the battery and annunciator which will ring the bell and indicate which signal valve has closed the circuit.

ln setting the device 'lor operation the le. ver l-B should be held in the position illustrated in the figures.y thus maintaining the pistons 3S and 23E) at the same relative height' in their respective cylinders, illustrated in Fig. G, and causing the opening 2) to register with the reduced openings in the transverse walls 3l and 32. The air under 'pressure in the pipe t3 will thereupon [low through the opening 29 and compress the air in the grating 2. rlhe pipes -l-'l and 35 being ot the same capacity, and the areas o'lf the pistons 38 and 239 being the same. when the air in the grating Q, the pipe 23 beyond the signal valve QG, the pipe 35 and the controller cylinder 23T is compressed to the same degree as the air in the pipe (l. the pipe 3l and the controller cylinder 3G, the pistons EES and 3f) will be so balanced by the equal air pressure that no movement oit said pistons will take place so long as such pneumatic balance is maintained.

liet it be supposed that the pistons llt; and 3) are balanced as Vjust described. it then an attempt is made to saw through any ot the pipes composingthe grating 2. or it said g ating otherwise injured su'l'liciently to permit the escape o'l air therefrom the air in said grating and the pipe lying between said grating and the signal valve 2G. as well as the pipe 35 and the controller cylinder 53T will be reduced. lt should be noted that in order to supply air to equalize this reduction, the new supply will bel compelled to pass through the reduced opening' 'lhis opening is otl such small capacity as to be unable to supply air laf-:t enough to counteract any sul'istantial leakage. and as a result the pressure in the cylinder 3G will become greater than the pressure in the cylinder l?, thereby moving the piston iBS upwardly and the piston 39 downwardly. )ts the piston 23S rises and the piston 39 talls vthe opening 2f). by reason ot' the movement olf the lever 'l being communicated to the 'alve 28, will be thrown into register with the opening at 3?. thus connecting the reduced opening in the wall and the said opening 33 in such way as to permit the compressed air in the grating 2, the pipe 35, the cylinder 3'?, and the portion of the pipe 3 concerned to immediately escape, thus still further unbalancing the pressure in the cylinders 36 and 37 and temporarily locking the lever 41:3 in position to place the points 4:5 and 48 in contact. In this way any serious tampering` with or attempted cutting of the grating 2 will be immediately indicated on the annunciator 50 and in order to again set the signal valve 2G it will be necessary to repair the leak and hold the lever e3 in the position illustrated in the drawings until the air pressure in the cylinders 36 and 37 again balances the pistons.

One pump 8, one general supply pipe 6 and one governor cylinder 1d and related parts will be found sutlicient for the maintenance of the air pressure in a large system embodying' our improvement. Each cell. may be supplied with one of the signal valves ust described and its connection with an annunciator suitably located to attract the attention of the prison guard. lf desired, however, one of the signal valves may be arranged for each window grating or for any portion or division of the prison where such gratings are used.

In Fig. 1 we have shown a supply pipe 5 leading from the general supply pipe 6 and also the wires 52 and leading from the annunciator 50 and including the battery 52 in the circuit.

ln Fig. Q, we have shown a prison door provided with a prison signal. constructed in accordance with our invention.

rhe pipe 5 is adapted to supply the local supply pipe and vthe local supply pipe 55, which lat-ter pipe may lead to an other window grating, cell, cell door, or other structure of the prison composed of connected hollow pipes or tubes and forming a part of the prison structure. On the pipe 54tis arranged a signal valve 5G substantially the same in structure and operation as the signal valve QG heretofore described. Leading from the signal valve 5G the supply pipe branches at the T connection 57, whence the pipe 58 continues to the pneumatic joint 59 hereinafter to be described. From the 'l' connection 57 also leads the pipe 60, a portion of said pipe being preferably built into the fall (31 and therefore illustrated in dotted lines. The pipe (l0 leads to the pneumatic lock 62 hereinafter to be described.

The prison door 63 is composed of a gra-ting of intercommunicating tubes or pipes hinged to one side of the doorway by the hinge connections 6d. Said hinge connections are preferably formed so to journal one of the side pipes of the door in them, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the journaled pipe 65 thus lying in the axis of rotation of the door 63 in the hinge connection 64:.

In the pipe 65 are arranged the apertures 66 and around said pipe and inclosing said apertures is the joint casing (37 provided with the stutiing boxes 68. Said stuliing boxes prevent the escape of air at the ends of the joint casing GT, while permitting the pipe 65 to rotate within said joint casing. rlhe pipe 58 is connected to the joint casing G7, as clearly illustrated in .F ig. t thus supplying air to the interior of the pipes composing the prison door and permitting said door to swing upon its hinges without affecting the pneumatic connection through the joint 59. From the foregoing it will be understood that if any of the pipes composing' the door G3 are cut or injured in such way as to permit the escape of air, the signal valve 5G will be operated, in the same manner as the signal valve 26 would be operated by an injury to the grating 2. `liVhen the valve 56 is operated the electric current will be closed through. the electric wires connected therewith, thus operating the annunciator 50, which will indicate that valve 5G has sent in the signal.

F or the purpose of preventing the escape of prisoners by the unlocking of the door ($3 and opening said door upon its hinges, the pneumatic lock (32 is provided. At the free edge of the door is tixedly attached the locking arm 69 which extends beyond the edge of the door and is provided with an inwardly turned barrel portion 70, the opening in said barrel portion being directed inwardly and a slidable pin 71 being arranged in said opening' and adapted to move inwardly and outwardly in said opening. 1n the side of the barrel is located a slot 72 and a stop pin 73 arranged in the pin T1 engages the sides of said slot for the purpose of preventing the pin 71 from moving entirely out of the barrel opening'. The spring 7e is arranged in the barrel to normally hold the pin 71 in the position of greatest extension. as illustrated in Fig, At the inner end of the pin 71 is the conical head '75 which adapted to engage a correspondingly shaped valve seat 76 in the pneumatic lock socket u. The said socket consists of a hollow chamber 78 into which the pipe G0 leads, the front wall of the said chamber being provided with. the valve seat 76 mentioned.

1 lllhen the door (33 is closed the head 75 will engage the valve seat T6, the spring il acting to hold said head in proper engagement with said valve seat, thereby preventing the escape of air through the aperture 79 in which the valve seat 76 is arranged. iilhen the door is opened, however, the head will be withdrawn. from the valve seat permitting' the air to escape through the aperture 79 from the pipe 60 and operating the signal valve 56, thus causing the annunciator 50 to operate.

1t should be noted that the amount of pressure in the system above described is preferably not great, a pressure et a t'ew pounds only being preferred.

Te claim y p 1. 1n an automatic prison signal, a grating composed oi intercommunicating tubes, a supply pipe for conducting air under pres sure to. said tubes, a signal valve provided with cylinders and pistons and reducing means, said reducing means arranged in said supply pipe and forming a sole, minute passage way tor air through said supply pipe, means ot communication between one et the cylinders and the supply pipe on one side ot the said reducing means, means oi communication between the other cylinder and the supply pipe on the other side o't the said reducing means, and electrical signaling mechanism connected to the pistons in the two cylinders, said electrical signaling mechanism adapted to be operated by the movement of the said pistons and adapted to be held in inoperative position when the pressure in the two cylinders is the same, and adapted to be moved into operative position when the pressure `in the two cylinders is not the same.

A prison signal con'iprising a grating composed ot intereommunicating pipes, a local supply pipe connnunicating with said grating, means for conducting air under pressure into said local supply pipe, a signal valve arranged on said local supply pipe, said valve constituting a portion et the pasway through said pipe, said valve comprising a valve c vlinder and rotatable valve, a lever connected to said rotatable valve, spaced cylinders provided with pistons, a pipe connecting one ot said cylinders with the local supply pipe on one side ot' the valve and a pipe connecting the other cylinder with the local supply pipe on the other side of the valve, piston rods connecting said pistons with said lever, said valve provided with a reduced opening 'for the passage of air from the local supply pipe on one side et said valve to the local supply pipe on the other side otl said valve, an electric indicating device and a source of current, spaced electric contacts arranged in circuit with said electric indicating device and said source ot' current, and one oi said contacts connected to said lever and adapted tor movement therewith into engagement with the other contact to close the circuit.

3. ln an automatic prison signal the coinbination et' a grating composed of intercommunicating tubes, a local supply pipe connected to said tubes and adapted to supply air thereto, and a signal valve arranged upon said local supply pipe, said signal valve comprising a valve cylinder interposed between adjacent portions of the said local supply pipe, a rotatable valve located in said valve cylinder, said valve cylinder provided with transverse walls on both sides of said rotatable valve, said walls provided with reduced openings forming the sole passage way l'roni the adjacent portions of the local supply pipe to said rotatable valve, said rotatable valve provided with a reduced opening adapted to register with the openings in the said transverse walls, said rotatable valve adapted to rotate within the valve cylinder to throw the opening in said rotatable valve out ot register with the opening in the transverse wall on the side from which the air is supplied, the opening in said rotatable lvalve on the side toward the grating being enlarged, the wall oit said valve cylinder provided with an externally open aperture, the enlarged portion in the opening ot the said rotatable valve adapted to provide commuA nication between said externally open aperture and the aperture in the transverse wall on the grating' side ot said valve when the said rotatable valve is turned to throw the other end ot the opening out ot engagement with the aperture in the other wall, spaced cylinders provided with pistons, a lever connected to said rotatable valve, piston rods connecting the said pistons with opposite ends ot' said lever, a pipe providing pneumatic communication between one et said cylinders and the local supply pipe on one side ot the signal valve and another pipe providing pneumatic communication between the other ot said cylinders and the local supply pipe on t-he other side of said valve, and electric contacts adapted to be operated by said lever substaiitially as described.

et. In an automatic prison signal, in combination, an air supply pipe, means for conducting air under pressure to said pipe, a. pneumatically operated signal valve, an electric circuit includiiig signaling means, said signal valve adapted to operate said signaling means through said circuit, said valve adapted to operate when air is exhausted from said supply pipe, a door arranged in a doorway and adapted to be opened and closed, an air chamber arranged at the side ot said door Yay and connected with the said supply pi 3e, said air chamber provided with an aperture tor the exhaust ot' air it'rom said supply pipe, a locking arm ixedly attached to said door and provided with a pin having a h ad adapted to close the aperture in said air chamber when said door is closed and to be moved from said aperture to permit the exhaust ot' air theretrom when said door is opened.

' In testimony that we claim the above, we have hereunto subscribed our names in the presence ot two witnesses.

.l EVRON RHOADS. HENRY C. FASHBAUGl-l.

lVitnesses IRENE M. LUTZ, VILLIAM H. MILLER.

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